Bill Raising Fine for Car-Pool Violators Sent to Deukmejian

The Senate on Thursday approved and sent to Gov. George Deukmejian legislation to double the maximum fine on motorists who violate rules governing freeway car-pool lanes.

The Senate’s 38-0 vote came after no discussion--a sharp contrast with the long and rancorous debate surrounding the same bill when it was heard in the Assembly last week.

While the Assembly session on the bill was turned into a referendum on the car-pool lanes themselves, the measure aroused no such struggle in the Senate, where members sifted through hundreds of bills Thursday on their way to next week’s adjournment.

The bill by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) was aimed at lanes like those on the Costa Mesa Freeway that are separated from the rest of the highway by double yellow lines rather than concrete barriers. Motorists backed up in rush-hour traffic often cross the lines illegally to take advantage of the traffic-free lane.

Bergeson’s measure would increase the maximum fine on a third offense for illegally crossing the double yellow lines to $500 from the current $250. The top fine on a first offense would increase to $150 from the current $100. The fine on a second offense would remain at $200.

The extra money raised by the fines would go to the county and the Transportation Commission, which would use the funds on highway improvement projects.

Bergeson said the California Highway Patrol, because of “limited resources,” has rebuffed repeated requests to increase enforcement of the car-pool lane laws.

“This bill has the intention of providing a stronger disincentive to lane violators by increasing fines and penalties,” she said.

Deukmejian has no position on the bill, a spokesman said.